Northgate's Holiday Weeks Sort Themselves by Which Side of the North Gate You're On

Tonight, Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:05 the puck drops at Cadet Ice Arena, where Air Force hosts Bentley in the first game of a two-night series. Two nights later, San José State kicks off at Falcon Stadium at 5 p.m. Both venues are a short drive up I-25 from most Northgate driveways. Both are also behind a gate.

That gate is what this season turns on. Since the Hosmer Visitor Center opened in May, the Academy has had a public front porch outside its security line. That splits the holiday weeks around Northgate into three groups. The visitor center and everything south of it ask for nothing at the door. Game nights on the Academy grounds depend on carrying the right ID for that event, and a couple of on-base attractions stay closed to anyone without a pass. Once you know which group an outing falls in, you can plan it.

Outside the gate, the Academy is open to anyone with a free afternoon

The Hosmer Visitor Center sits at 13303 True North Road, just outside the North Gate. Admission and parking are free, and you don't need a military ID or base access to get in. It opened to the public on May 16, 2026. The Colorado Springs Gazette reported that the idea behind the project was to move the Academy's "front door" outside gate security, after post-9/11 security measures cut visitor numbers.

Inside, the atrium has a suspended glider, soundscapes and three tall tetrahedra. Interactive galleries follow cadet life, with displays on class crests, the Polaris Star and the Academy's core values. The Academy's exhibit map still marks Gallery 6 "Pardon Our Dust." Every visit ends in the 3,000-square-foot gift and team store. For December, that is the most useful fact on the list: it's a place to buy Falcons gear without a base pass, a ticket or a stadium line.

The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes on federal holidays, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. That means Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve are out, so plan the out-of-town-guest visit for a different day.

Hotel Polaris is next door at True North Commons. Its dining page lists Pamela's, The Aviator, Thunderbird Bar, Lovie's Market, Doolies and the Pool Bar. Lovie's handles coffee, tea and grab-and-go food, and Doolies is set up as a soda shop. The same page says Doolies closed for the season on Nov. 1 and reopens Nov. 27 for "Cocoa Command." Because the listing doesn't show a year next to that date, look at the hotel's site before you promise the kids hot cocoa.

Inside the gate, the rule depends on the event

Football has the simplest rule. When Air Force Athletics announced fan logistics for the Oct. 3 Navy game, it said that starting that morning, U.S. citizens would not need a base pass or pre-registration for football games. Everyone over 18 still has to carry a U.S. government-issued ID or a passport. Foreign nationals must still register with the Pass and Registration Office. Two home dates remain:

• Saturday, Nov. 14: San José State, 5 p.m. MT
• Friday, Nov. 20: UTEP, 6 p.m. MT

Whether you use the North Gate depends on your parking pass. Athletics routes Lots 1 through 3 through the South Gate and Lots 4 through 6 through the North Gate. Lots open four hours before kickoff, and signs posted on game day take precedence. If you live near Northgate and your ticket says Lot 4, 5 or 6, your entrance is the North Gate exit off I-25.

Hockey has its own logistics. Cadet Ice Arena is the Falcons' home rink. For Cadet Field House events, Cadet Ice Arena included, Athletics opens gates one hour before the event and tells fans to use the North Gate and the east parking lots. The football access announcement covers football only. For other visits, the Academy's Getting on Base page lists two options, and anyone heading to a hockey game should look at both:

1. The 30-day general access pre-registration link. It is meant for recreation and visits during visitor hours, 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Only U.S. citizens with a valid REAL ID driver's license can use it, and the pass loads onto the barcode on the back of that license.
2. The Trusted Traveler Program, back at the Academy as of Nov. 2, 2026. An eligible Department of War ID holder in the vehicle can vouch for up to five co-travelers at the gate. Those guests must be U.S. citizens with a REAL ID and must stay with their sponsor the whole time they are on the installation. It runs from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Trusted Traveler is the change worth knowing about this month. It came back on Nov. 2, ten days before the Bentley series, so a neighbor with an eligible ID can once again drive a full car through the gate. Retirees and contractors with a CAC are on the eligible list.

Football and hockey share one venue-wide rule, and that is clear bags. Fans can bring one clear bag no larger than 12 by 12 by 12 inches, a one-gallon clear zip bag, or a clutch or fanny pack up to 5.5 by 7.5 inches. A factory-sealed clear soft water bottle up to 24 ounces is allowed, and so is an empty clear soft bottle.

Two well-known on-base attractions stay off the list for now. The Academy planetarium is a separate facility on the installation and needs a visitor pass or DoD ID. Its schedule shows a special film from Nov. 11 through 25. Shows are free, first-come, first-seated, and subject to change. The Cadet Chapel has been closed for restoration since 2019. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center's project timeline puts the grand reopening in the third quarter of 2028.

The season by date, sorted by what it takes to get in

South of the gate, the season takes no paperwork at all

A few minutes down I-25, nothing needs an ID check. The Promenade Shops at Briargate's Holiday Happenings runs from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20. Santa and Mrs. Claus are there Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, from noon to 5 p.m. The photo is free and you take it on your own phone. Guests are asked to bring a package of new, unused socks, and the donations go to Springs Rescue Mission. Free hot cocoa, cookies and kids' crafts are available while supplies last.

Three special Santa events have specific times and places:

• Santa Paws: Thursday, Dec. 10, 5 to 7 p.m., on the Pikes Peak Patio next to Ted's Montana Grill
• Breakfast with Santa: Saturday, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, at My Neighbor Felix, 1645 Briargate Pkwy., Suite 203
• Storytime with Santa: Thursday, Dec. 17, 3 to 5 p.m., at Arhaus, 1925 Briargate Pkwy., Suite 627

There is more on the weekends. Free face painting runs from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, and on Saturdays Dec. 5, 12 and 19. A holiday stilt walker is out from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 13 and Dec. 19. The Mistletoe Carolers sing from 1 to 3 p.m. on Nov. 28 and Dec. 19. Anna and Elsa appear from 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 12 and Dec. 20. A holiday trombone choir closes things out on Wednesday, Dec. 23, from noon to 2 p.m.

Chapel Hills Mall starts a week earlier and runs longer, with Santa photos from Nov. 20 through Dec. 24, 2026. Visits are booked ahead through the mall's Santa Photos page, which also lists the hours. The two malls suit different families. If you want a set appointment, Chapel Hills has one. If your weekend is unpredictable and your phone camera is good enough, the Promenade's walk-up visits fit.

Lined up this way, the Northgate calendar is easy to plan. Visits to Hosmer and the team store take nothing but an open afternoon. Football takes a government ID and the right gate for your lot. Hockey takes a REAL ID or a neighbor with an eligible ID card. The Promenade and Chapel Hills, just south, take no paperwork at all.

At Gary Kirkpatrick, we live and work along this stretch of I-25. A lot of the families we work with came here on military orders, and we know the gate is part of everyday life on the north side. If you're hosting relatives this season and want local suggestions for a day that starts at Hosmer and ends with Santa at the Promenade, reach out. We're happy to share what we know.